She forced herself to turn away. She was just a mass of nerves. Traveling always made her famished, and neither she nor Grandpapa had eaten more than a few pieces of toast and jam this morning. As soon as they were settled, she’d ask for some luncheon and—

An ear-splitting shriek rent the air. The huge oak doors of the house flew open and a plump woman came running out, her skirts flapping madly. Her mobcap and the heavy set of keys that jangled at her waist proclaimed her to be the housekeeper as she jounced down the steps and came to a halt in front of Greyley. “Thank God you’ve returned!” she puffed, pressing a hand to her impressive bosom. “We’ve a plague!”

Greyley’s face darkened. “Are the children ill?”

“Lord love you, not that kind of plague,” the housekeeper said. “I’m talkin’ about a biblical plague.”

“Biblical, eh?” Grandpapa murmured from where he was standing beside Anna. “It appears as if we’ve come just in time to see the entire household eaten by locusts.”

The housekeeper waved a hand in front of her heated face. “Frogs,” she intoned. “Large, warty ones.”

Anna almost laughed at the astonishment on the earl’s face.

“How many are there?” he bit out.

“Dozens! And all in your bedchamber. They startled poor Lily nigh to death, they did, when she went into your room to dust.”

“The children,” Greyley said grimly.

The housekeeper clasped her hands together. “My lord, I’m sure they didn’t mean to—”

“Where’s Ledbetter?”

“That fribblin’ valet went screamin’ like a banshee, he did. Says he cannot abide such slimy creatures, jumping here and there and nestin’ in your private linens—”

A loud yell sounded from inside the house, followed by a solid thud and a crash. The housekeeper gave a faint shriek. “I do hope that wasn’t your new vase! The one you sent from London with instructions to keep it from the children.”

“Damn it! That was a Roman urn.” Greyley turned and strode up the steps. “Mrs. Stibbons, send a footman to my room with a bucket.”

The housekeeper struggled to keep pace with him. “Yes, my lord. I’ll keep an eye out for the children, too. Ledbetter saw them peeking ’round the door and he chased them through the house. Almost caught the wee one, he did. Haven’t heard a peep out of them since.”

Anna gathered her skirts and dashed up the stairs. Here was her chance to establish herself with her new charges. “Lord Greyley! We should speak before you talk to the children about this latest occurrence. In my experience, the best way to handle a situation such as this—”

He came to a sudden halt on the top step. Anna almost careened into his back, tottering for a brief moment on the step below him. When she regained her balance, she found him staring down at her, a determined expression on his face. “Miss Thraxton,” he said in that low, threatening drawl, “as much as I appreciate your offer of assistance, my relationship with my wards is my concern and not yours. Your sole responsibility is the nursery and what goes on inside those four walls.”